Container



ct. 13, 1936. A. H SCHMlDTKE v 2,057,449

CONTAINER Filed OGt. l0, 1954 A TTORNEY.

Patented ct. 1.3, 1936 PATENT OFFICE A2,057,449 CONTAINER Albert H. Schmidtke, St. Joseph, Mich., assignor to St. Joseph Iron Works, St. Joseph, Mich.

Application October 10, 1934, Serial No. 747,678

2 Claims.

The invention relates to containers adapted particularly for shipping fruit, vegetables and .other agricultural products.

Large quantities of agricultural products, such as fruits, vegetables and the like are shipped annually from one part. of the country to another, and large numbers of. containers areemployed for this purpose. Ordinarily these containers are used only once as it is impractical to return them to the shipping. point, and furthermore, it would be practically impossible to so control disposition of the containers to an extent that it would be profitable to return them. Moreover, containers used for the purposes mentioned must be very inexpensive in order to maintain the cost of the products shipped as low as possible. Again, the containers must be of. such character that they may be opened for governmental inspection, and then again closed, and the opening and closing of the container should be easily effectedwithout injuring the contents of the container or damaging the construction thereof.

The object of the present construction is to provide a very inexpensive and simple container which may be manufactured and assembled easily, which is sturdy in construction to withstand abuse in transportation, and which readily permits opening and closing of the container without injury to the contents or without damage to the container construction.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the drawing, wherein Figure l is an elevational view illustrating a.

container constructed according to one form of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view on a larger scale taken substantially along the line 2--2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating the head of. the container prior to its assembly with the body of the container.

Fig. 4 is a detailed View illustrating the manner in which the end of the bands are connected. Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 2 illustrating another form .of the invention wherein the head 4.5 has a portion projecting inwardly of the slats.

Referring to the figures, the container comprises an annular side wall constructed of a series of spaced wooden slats I0, which are secured at their ends to metal bands I I and I2. In the con- 50 struction illustrated the slats are connected to the metal bands by staples indicated at I3, and it should be understood that machinery for stapling metal bands to wooden slats is well known in the art.

are connected by providing opposed slots I4 in one end of the band and then overlapping the ends-and bending portions I5` on the other end of the band through the slots and over the narrovv portion between the slots. This construction 5 provides a very simple way of. connecting the ends of the band, although it will readily be understood that other Waysof connecting the ends of the band may be used.

As best shown by Fig; 2, the metal bands at eachend of the container havea marginal portion I6 projecting beyond the ends of the slats I0, andi within this marginal. portion a head. I8Y is adapted.. to. be placed. The head; shown. comprises two layers I9 and 20 having their grains l5 disposed in crossing directions, and these layers are connected in any suitable way such as by staples 2 I. The head, as shown, rests directly on the ends of the slats I0 and the marginal portion i6 of the band is of such depth'that its outer 20 edge is disposed substantially flush With the outer surface of the head. For holding the head in position, wire fastening means 24 are provided, and each of these means comprises a U- shaped Wire having its ends pierced through the 25 head and bent. over against the inner surfacey of the head as indicated at 25 to provide a positive connection. The body portion of the fastening means then is directed over the outer surface of the head to its edge, and then is passed inwardly 3o between the band and the head and between a pair of the slats and finally is` bent around the inner edge of the band as indicated at 26. It will be noted that the closed end of the wire fastening means is disposed on the outer side of the band.

Fig. 3 shows the head prior to its insertion and at this time the end portions of the fastening means are in an unbent condition which facilitates insertion of the head. After the head is inserted, the end portions of the wire fasteners are bent outwardly around the lower edge of the bands and pressed closely against the outer surface of the latter. It will be appreciated that the head may be easily removed by bending the ends of the fasteners in a reverse direction and then the head may be pulled outwardly from the end of the container.

The inner layer 20 of the head is of smaller diameter, so that it may fit Within the slats I0 and 50 the marginal projecting portion of the band is of lesser depth so that its outer edge will substantially be flush with the outer surface of the head. The outer layer II'I of the head rests on the ends of the slats and this feature in conjunction with the fastening means previously described positively positions the head insofar as inward or outward movement is concerned. Positioning the inner layer within the slats provides increased rigidity against deformation of the container when subjected to lateral forces.

The construction shown by Fig. 2 will normally be suciently rigid inasmuch as the projecting portion of the band also prevents lateral deformation, but the construction shown by Fig. 5 in certain ways is preferable in that the head directly coacts with the inner sides of the slats to prevent lateral deformation and to maintain the shape of the container.

The container shown and described is exceedingly simple and inexpensive and can be manufactured very readily and assembled very easily. Furthermore, it is very rigid when the body and head are assembled, and this is desirable for the reason that the container is subjected to considerable abuse during transportation. Furthermore, the head is so connected to the container that it may be readily removed and replaced for inspection purposes or for opening the container when it reaches the user of the products shipped in the container.

Although more than one form of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A container comprising a series of spaced slats forming a side wall, a band extending around and being secured to the slats at each end of the container and having a marginal portion projecting beyond the ends of the slats, a head disposed within the projecting marginal portion of the band and seating on the ends of the slats, and a plurality of wire fasteners releasably holding the head in place, each of the fasteners being secured to the head adjacent its edge and extending over the outer surface of the head and then inwardly between the edge of the head and band between a pair of slats and being finally bent outwardly around the inner edge of the band to form a free end capable of being reversely bent to enable the removal of the head from the container.

2. A container comprising a series of spaced slats forming a side wall, a band extending around and being secured to the slats at each end of the container and having a marginal portion projecting beyond the ends of the slats, a head disposed within the projecting marginal portion of the band and seating on the ends of the slats, and a plurality of wire fasteners releasably holding the head in place, each of the fasteners comprising a U-shape wire having its ends secured to the head and having both wire portions of its body structure extending over the outer surface of the head and then inwardly between the band and edge of the head between a pair of slats and nally having a free and closed end. portion bent outwardly around the inner edge of the band.

ALBERT H. SCHMIDTKE. 

